Time to tip it off

Minneapolis - Ricky Rubio and Rick Adelman are making their Minnesota debuts in less than an hour at the Target Center.

And the Bucks will have some key players making their Milwaukee debuts, including starting guard Mike Dunleavy Jr. and backup point guards Beno Udrih and Shaun Livingston.

It's the first of two preseason games between the Midwest rivals, and they also play Dec. 27 in the Bucks' regular-season home opener. Then they won't see each other again the rest of the season.

"I just want to see some progress from the public scrimmage and practice," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said in his pre-game remarks. "Try to execute, spacing and try to make progress defensively. And also get some guys some game minutes. I know guys are looking forward to it."

Skiles' starting lineup will have Brandon Jennings and Dunleavy at guards, Andrew Bogut at center and Drew Gooden and Carlos Delfino at forwards.

The Timberwolves' starters will be Wes Johnson and former Bucks guard Luke Ridnour in the backcourt, Kevin Love at center and Darko Milicic and Michael Beasley at forwards.

Adelman is taking over in Minnesota after coaching in Houston the past four seasons. The Rockets had a winning record in all four seasons and made the playoffs in Adelman's first two years, but they were hampered when center Yao Ming was lost to injury.

I asked Adelman if he would throw Rubio "into the deep end" with only two exhibition games (both against the Bucks) followed by a compressed 66-game schedule. The Spaniard is starting his NBA career after being selected fifth overall by Minnesota in the 2009 draft. He played the last two seasons for Regal FC Barcelona in his home country.

"He's going to play and we're going to see what he can do," Adelman said. "I don't look at it as just him. It's what can he do for the team.

"We know he has the talent. He's like every young player in this league. He's going to make some adjustments."

The lockout and stalemated negotiations over a labor deal finally ended in a collective bargaining agreement, leaving the league with a Christmas Day start to the regular season.

That meant just two exhibition games for each team, with the Wolves and Bucks meeting at the Target Center and again at the Bradley Center on Wednesday.

"You hear all the time from people they're excited about us getting started with the season," Adelman said. "I'm trying to get in that same mode with them.

"We're all going to be thrown in the fire really quick. I think it's really true, the team has got to get the fans excited. You can't get it the other way around. You've got to get them in the game."